The present invention relates to a tape cartridge, in the state of being mounted on a tape drive as an external unit for use in computers and the like, in which a tape unreeled from a case body is taken up by a take up reel of an external unit through a loading path in the external unit, and to a tape loading system using the same.
A single reel-type tape cartridge is disclosed in JP 8-63718 A (FIG. 1), in which one reel with a recording tape wound therearound is housed in a case body and a cleaning section such as cleaning tapes is placed at a leading end section of the recording tape.
The tape drive is equipped with a head for reading data recorded on the recording tape, or for recording data on the recording tape. In JP 8-63718 A (FIG. 1), when the recording tape is unreeled from the case body and loaded onto a take up reel in the tape drive, the cleaning tape or the like slides in the state of being in contact with the surface of the head so as to remove contamination adhering to the surface of the head.
As shown in FIG. 3 in JP 2002-203308 A for example, the head may have a recess section on its surface for the purpose of, for example, releasing the air entrapped between the recording tape and the head. In this case, reliable removal of the contamination invaded inside the recess section may not be achieved by the cleaning tape and the like.
The cleaning section in JP 8-63718 A (FIG. 1) is formed by applying abrasive to a leader tape coupled to the leading end of the recording tape, or fixing a cleaning tape between the recording tape and the leader tape, which causes a problem that the cleaning section deteriorated by use cannot be replaced easily.